North Rhine‑Westphalia master enrolments hit record; UDE drops NC for 12 courses

In the winter semester 2025/26, North Rhine‑Westphalia (NRW) universities recorded 158,200 master‑level students, a 4.6 % increase over the previous year and the highest number ever reported. Overall higher‑education enrolments in the state rose slightly to 703,400, still below the 2018/19 peak. While bachelor enrolments fell 14.6 % over the same period, master enrolments grew 6.1 %, adding 9,100 students. The most popular master fields were economics (15.8 %), computer science (10.5 %) and psychology (5.5 %). First‑time enrolments for the 2025 academic year reached 109,800, up 3.7 % from 2024.

University Duisburg‑Essen expects a reduced intake for winter 2026/27 because the G9 school reform will lower the number of Abitur graduates by about two‑thirds. To attract applicants, the university lifted the Numerus Clausus (NC) for 12 of its 38 admission‑restricted programmes, allowing any student with an Abitur to enroll. The exempted courses include various teaching degrees, business administration, economics, social work and related fields, and the university has launched a social‑media campaign to draw students from other German states.